The Lies of Lucy Heartfilia
by Sharingan-kun
Summary: The chronicles of a certain spirit summoner who came upon a very special sort of summon. LucyxNaruto.
1. Prologue: Quiet

**A/N:** Some of you may have noticed that I deleted a couple of chapters. They're not gone, I just merged some of them together to make it easier for new readers to follow.

This will be a story based mainly around Lucy. Naruto plays more of a supporting role.

Also, just to warn you, my grammar is spotty at best and my descriptions and vocabulary are kinda 'meh'. That aside, I'd appreciate any advice anyone can give me to help improve the story.

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fan fiction. Naruto and Fairy Tail are owned by their respective mangaka.

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><p><strong>The Lies of Lucy Heartfilia<strong>

**Prologue - Quiet**

Year X784

It was just another afternoon in Magnolia Town. The sun shone brightly above and the people of the town were going about their business below. It was a very a peaceful and serene afternoon for the entire town.

Yet peaceful wasn't exactly the right word to describe the situation within the Fairy Tail guild hall at the moment. And serene didn't quite fit either. If there was any word to describe Fairy Tail right now, it would be 'quiet.' Yes, the guild halls of Fairy Tail were undoubtebly quiet; it was a quiet to the extent that guild had not experienced since it's inception. And there were three reasons for it.

First, was the state of the guild hall. If the majority of the mess hall had not been broken or destroyed, there would have been dozens of mages there, eating and drinking, with glasses clattering across table tops. There would have been endless chattering, sporadic laughter, loud arguments, and even a little infighting between members. But now there were none of these things, creating an air of stillness and silence that simply felt wrong.

The second reason for the quiet, were all the Fairy Tail mages lying in limp and unconscious heaps all over the floor. Were Cana Alberona still awake, she would be busy gulping down barrel-fulls of beer and ale while shouting out un-ladylike profanities at other random members of the guild. If Gajeel Redfox hadn't been smashed through one of the walls of the guild, he might have been sitting on top of the guild's stage, singing and strumming his guitar as the rest of the guild jeered. But the fact of the matter was that they had been completely beaten; defeated along with almost every other member of the guild. And so they lay still and the quiet remained.

The third reason for the quiet was a little more subtle. It stemmed from the single member of the guild who was still awake, still well, and doing her very best to pick up and mend the battered bodies of the others. Her name was Mirajane, and if you simply stood there and watched her struggling to drag people out of the rubble, desperately trying to make sure each and every person was okay, you might begin to see it. Or better yet, if you could peer into her mind, read her thoughts, and experience her confusion you would see that _this_ was the _greatest_ reason for the silence within the guild hall. Pain. Pain in her heart and soul. A pain that kept her mute as she worked. A pain that could only be caused the betrayal of someone she trusted and loved.


	2. CH1: The Siege of Strawberry Street

**Chapter 1 - The Siege of Strawberry Street**

It was one of those rare days in Magnolia Town. The weather was warm and carried with it a silky feeling breeze, perfect for those going about their business through the town's wide streets. It was a great day to be outdoors so many people were shopping at Magnolia's large commercial district or quietly enjoying a book in one of the town's many beautiful parks. Even the nearby beaches were full of Magnolia residents having fun.

But currently, Levy, a blunette mage of Fairy Tail, was not having any fun at all. She would have loved to be shopping, or reading at a park, or hanging out at the beach, but she couldn't. Heck, even if 'smacking your face repeatedly against a brick wall' was an option, she still would have preferred it over the task she was assigned to do now. There was just something that felt so... so... wrong, about her current mission.

It truly felt like she was betraying someone close to her, even though she knew that in this case, it was the other way around. That it was her - no - her guild, Fairy Tail, that had been betrayed. And now she was just helping the guild apprehend the criminal: a freshly turned dark mage who was currently hiding in an apartment; an apartment that was currently surrounded by a practically impregnable magical barrier.

Still, why did it have to be here at the small building on Strawberry Street. How was it even possible that this so-called dark mage happened to be Lucy Heartfilia, one of her very best friends? Lucy couldn't have been the one who betrayed Fairy Tail, right? There had to be some kind of mistake. Some kind of misunderstanding. Either way, once she broke through this barrier, she swore that she would be one of the first to question Lucy herself.

Whole passages of glyphs and runes crossed in front of her as she worked and she continued to analyze them, cross referencing them with the thousands of other runes and glyphs that whirled through her head. Taking down barriers based off of script magic was her specialty but this one was proving to be extremely challenging. But, she was focused and refused to give up; so focused that she barely even noticed that Makarov, the master of Fairy Tail, was standing right behind her and keeping watch.

"Levy, how much longer will it take?" asked Makarov. "Can't you give us a rough idea? Everyone is at their wit's end here." The 'everyone' he was referring to were the rest of the members of Fairy Tail who surrounded the house in case Lucy attempted to escape. The goal was to capture and question her if possible.

If possible... the thought of the other course of action, if necessary, left a bad taste in Levy's mouth.

Levy brushed back some of the strands of cerulean hair that fell across her face and peeled off her black-framed Gale-Force Reading Glasses 120x. She would have loved to simply fall flat on her back and rest for a bit, but she couldn't. Not now.

All around her were books; hundreds of them, most of them already read and thrown haphazardly into piles behind her. She glared at the magical runes floating in the air in front of her, as if they would suddenly rewrite themselves if she scared them into it. Alas, it didn't work and she let out a defeated sigh. "I think I've almost got it," Levy finally replied, trying to hide the exhaustion in her tone. She didn't quite manage it. "I should have the barrier down in another fifteen minutes. Maybe twenty minutes if things don't go well."

Makarov grimaced. "I hate to push you, Levy, but that's not nearly good enough. We were supposed to be in there half an hour ago. Who knows what Lucy could do with another twenty minutes. She might have already escaped. Or worse."

"I know," said Levy, frustrated. "I know, already. But this is like trying to decipher a brand new language. The runes that make up this barrier are just so complex. _No,_ they're too complex. I don't even know how Lucy managed to put up a barrier like this on her own and only in a few minutes too. Freed's Dark Ecriture is like a kid's scribbling compared to this."

"Hmph, perhaps it was the boy. We all know Naruto is in there with her. Maybe _he_ is the one behind this. To think we were fooled by-" Makarov stopped himself when he saw Levy shake her head vehemently.

"No, these are Lucy's runes," said Levy. Her tone was adamant and convincing. "I know it."

Makarov shifted a single eyebrow, curious. "And how do you know that?"

Levy thought back to all of Lucy's novels that she read and enjoyed and gave tips on... the ones that were written by Lucy herself. It brought back some good memories, memories that sort of hurt because of current circumstances. "Because all of these runes are in her handwriting," said Levy.

- x -

Despite Levy's best efforts, the barrier took around another twenty-five minutes to bring down completely. And when it happened, bright cracks of energy webbed it's way across the entirety of the magical dome that surrounded the apartment. All of Fairy Tail was brought back to attention when the barrier exploded outwards and disappeared.

At first, all was eerily quiet as if everyone was holding their collective breaths. Then, it all happened at once.

Makarov rushed in first, growing to about hundred times his normal size. A giant wall of ice materialized all around them shortly after, entrapping the apartment and all the Fairy Tail members within.

"Luuuuuccyyyyyy!" came a cry, obviously Natsu's, from the other side of the house, followed by four or five other shouts, makeshift orders, and profanities. A rainstorm started within the bounds of the icy walls. Levy recognized the rain as Juvia's, a technique she used to track everyone within storm.

Levy herself, now wet and absolutely exhausted, pushed herself off the ground. She stumbled a bit, dizzy, before small and soft hands supported her at her side. A gentle wind brushed across her body and somehow she felt instantly refreshed. Looking down to her side she saw little Wendy with a sad smile on her face.

"You want to see Lucy too, right Levy?" asked Wendy, somehow looking even more delicate and fragile than usual now that she was soaked. "C'mon, let's go. I'm sure Lucy will have an explanation for everything."

- x -

Lucy wasn't inside the apartment, this much was clear.

A total of seven members of Fairy Tail were sent to capture Lucy and her accomplace Naruto. The heavy hitters were Natsu, Gray, Erza, Juvia and Master Makarov. Levy and Wendy were sent as support.

Makarov wanted to send more, but there was nobody left in the guild that was still able to fight. Luxus, Gajeel, and even Gildartz were down for the count and their wounds were still being tended to by Mirajane.

But when the barrier came down and they stormed Lucy's apartment, there was nary a soul inside.

The apartment itself was very spacious. Levy remembered Lucy complaining about her seventy-thousand Jewels-per-month rent but Levy had argued back that at that price, the apartment was a steal. The walls were white as snow in contrast to the polished mahogany hardwood beneath their feet. All the furniture was right where Levy last remembered from her previous visit; from the old fashioned fireplace to the big fluffy couch that sat in the middle of the living room. Even the random books that sat atop the small coffee table and all the familiar pictures that hung on one side the room looked totally in place, like nothing had changed at all.

"Lucy!" yelled Natsu as he kicked down the door to Lucy's bedroom. When he found nobody there, he did the same to the guest room, the bathroom, and the storage closet with similar results. Happy proceeded to search cupboards, drawers, shelves, and he even emptied her refrigerator, though half of that content went straight into his mouth. It seemed more like they were searching for a set of keys than a dangerous dark mage.

Despite their situation, Levy was perplexed at how normal it all seemed. Natsu was behaving like it was his own home, as usual. Erza collapsed onto the big cushy couch in the living room, eyes furrowed deeply in thought. Gray, who had somehow just lost all of his clothes, paced back in forth in the kitchen, doing... something. Levy wasn't so sure about him.

Wendy and her cat Charle went over to talk things over with Erza while Levy entered Lucy's bedroom just in time to see one of Makarov's giant eyes peering into the window. It squinted right at Levy. "Did you find her?" came his rumbling voice.

Levy shook her head. "Nobody was in here."

"That's impossible!" he roared. "We all saw her go in here with Naruto."

The window suddenly crashed open and a torrent of water flooded it's way inside. Seconds later, the water formed the familiar visage of a girl. Juvia.

"Juvia's rain has not detected anyone outside either," she recited. "Juvia is sure Lucy is still inside."

"Keep looking, both of you," bellowed Makarov. "I'll join you shortly."

Levy nodded, sighing when Makarov and Juvia left. 'Why did things have to turn out this way,' she thought. 'Keep looking? She's not here. What's there to find?' Levy wanted to go back to the guild hall to help Mirajane patch people up. It felt pointless being here when she could be doing something far more productive. Anything to keep her mind off of the possibility that Lucy had betrayed them.

A glimmer caught Levy's attention at the corner of her eye and she looked towards it. It was a little odd that she didn't notice it before. Sitting square and center on top of Lucy's desk was a single red book. The light of the room danced mesmerizingly off of the book and Levy couldn't help but feel drawn towards it. It looked like magical runes were inscribed into it as well. And when Levy got a closer look, she gasped at the words written on the cover.

**The Lies of Lucy Heartfilia**  
>By Lucy Heartfilia &amp; Levy McGarden<p>

"By Lucy and... me?" asked Levy to herself, incredulous. A thousand thoughts whirled through her head. She had never written anything in her life before... well aside from her solid script magic, but that didn't count. Surely she would have remembered writing a book like that... and it was so thick too.

"It's heavy," said Levy to nobody in particular as she picked the book up. She stared at the cover for a bit, rubbing her eyes and wondering if she was hallucinating. When she finally convinced herself that the title was indeed very real, she opened the book.

A bright flash of light filled the entire room, temporarily blinding Levy before she had the chance to look away. She dropped the book in reflex and tried to shield her face. 'A trap?' she thought, mentally berating herself. She should have known that the magical runes inscribed on the book might have been some kind of a trap spell. She was just so enamored with the book that she didn't even notice. 'Oh Lucy, you know my weakness so very well.'

Before Levy's vision returned, she heard a voice. A familiar one, too. "See? I told you it would work," it said.

"Fine," began another, definitely more male, voice. "You win. But seriously, who falls for the book on a desk trap anymore? I mean, it was glowing and had runes all over it too. Would you touch a book like that without any precautions? I know I wouldn't."

"Knowing you, if that book was a glowing bowl of ramen, you would totally go for it. And you know, she's right there. She can hear you."

"Eh heh heh, sorry Levy. Nothing personal. Erm... you can open your eyes now. You're safe."

Levy's eyes blinked open. And there, standing right in front of her was Lucy and Naruto. What on Earthland was going on?


	3. CH2: Uneasy Confrontation

**Chapter 2 - Uneasy Confrontation**

It was hard for anyone in the apartment to miss the bright flash of light coming from Lucy's bedroom. And even if they could brush something like that off, it was impossible to ignore what sounded like Levy's frantic cry cut short.

Erza was the first to react, bursting into Lucy's room near instantaneously with a sword in hand, ready to thwart any attempt at an ambush. When it was obvious that no attack was forthcoming, she lowered her guard, but only slightly. The fact that Levy was nowhere in sight unnerved the heck out of her.

"Levy?" she tried.

No answer came.

"Levy! You found her?" hollered Natsu a second later as he, too, burst into the room. His eyes darted around frantically, flames swirling around his arm in anticipation. His keen instincts and battle heightened senses immediately detected a familiar presence near Lucy's empty desk. "THERE!" he shouted, thrusting his fist in it's direction. The flames around his arm erupted in full force, projecting Natsu's wrath at what he found. The fiery attack clearly hit it's mark, burning a gory smoldering hole in...

... what was once a portrait of Lucy hanging off of her wall.

"I got her!" he cheered. He also got full fledged smacking across the back of his head from Erza's sword.

"Calm down, Natsu," scolded Erza. "And we were _not_ supposed to attack her on sight, remember?"

Natsu rubbed the back of his aching head. "Eh? But now's my chance to become Fairy Tail's strongest!" His eyes burned brighter with passion and resolve as he nodded to himself. "I mean, she beat Luxus. And even Gildarts! Heh heh heh, they've fallen pretty far to get owned by someone as weak as Lucy. So if _I_ beat _her_ then-"

*Smack* Natsu crashed face first into the opposite wall when Erza finally gave in to her annoyance and anger. "Stop messing around," she ordered to Natsu's incapacitated form.

- x -

It wasn't long before everyone else crammed themselves into Lucy's bedroom. Their thorough search of the room and the rest of the apartment yielded absolutely nothing. No Levy. No Lucy. No Naruto. And their only real clue that anything even happened was Levy's yellow hair band found on Lucy's bedroom floor.

In a bit of a daze, Makarov gripped the soft and velvety hair band in the palm of his hand.

"Levy..." said Makarov, anger chiselled upon his face. The master-of-Fairy-Tail's mind was filled with sorrow and regret. It felt as if he had just let the entire guild down, especially Levy. "Sweet and lovable Levy. How could I have let this happen." he should have known that Lucy was up to something. A single tear dripped down his face.

"Master..." The rest of the guild looked towards him, expectant, some of them even teary eyed.

Makarov quickly wiped away the tear with new resolve, brandishing a terrible fury with his entire being. Then, to the heavens he shouted, "LEVY! Your favorite hair band. I swear upon the honor of Fairy Tail that you will get this back. And if Lucy or Naruto so much as touch a hair upon your head, they... will... PAY!"

- x -

"...and that's what would happen if you two don't release me right this moment," finished Levy sternly. Right now, Levy was trapped. She wasn't being tied down or gagged or anything like that but Lucy had plainly told her that she was now stuck in the Celestial Spirit Realm whether she liked it or not. Outside the window of the apartment was no longer the vibrant Strawberry Street of Magnolia, but rather countless twinkling stars and ethereal shapes.

This was why she made up an entire story warning Lucy and Naruto of what would probably happen if the rest of Fairy Tail couldn't find her. Levy wondered if it worked. Her face heated up ever-so-slightly when both Lucy and Naruto stared at her, dumbfounded at her story. Lucy blinked, Naruto blinked, then they looked to each other and erupted into hearty laughter.

"Bwahahahahaha!" Naruto cringed. "That last bit with Makarov was brilliant! Oh man, if I ever see him again I'm gonna tell him this. He'd love it."

Lucy wiped away some of the euphoric tears in her eye. "Thank you Levy, I needed that. And you captured Natsu's personality perfectly. That's just like him."

Levy glared. "Hey, I was serious! Let me go! What do you want with me, anyways?"

"Levy," Lucy said with a reassuring tone when she was done recovering from her fit of laughter. "Just listen to us for a bit. Please. I just want you to hear our side of the story."

"Your side of the story?" Levi countered. "Lucy, you attacked Fairy Tail. You stole the Celestial Grimoire. Then you and Naruto both declared yourselves as an independant guild... a _dark_ guild. I'm pretty sure I already know your story, Lucy, so no thanks."

"Levy... it's not what it looks like-"

"Not what it looks like?" Levy's body had begun to shake in frustration. "I wanted to believe in you, Lucy. I really _really_ did. I thought that maybe it wasn't you at all. That maybe it was just a look-alike, a clone. That maybe the Lucy I knew and loved would just suddenly come out and explain everything to everyone and make it all right again."

"Levy..."

"But the fact is that you're hiding from everyone," continued Levy, practically in full angry-lecture mode now. "You've kidnapped me, Lucy. And you have _that_. That _thing. _That book of _pure evil,_ right there in your arms." Levy pointed at the huge tome wrapped underneath Lucy's arms. "That's the Celestial Grimoire, isn't it? I've read about that grimoire and about the dark and terrible magic it holds.

"Please Levy, just..."

Levy stopped her with a pointed look. "Lucy, what happened to you?"

The entire room fell into silence. Naruto was sitting on the bed, arms folded, but didn't say a word. He didn't even dare to look at anyone, and instead just kept to himself. Lucy, on the other hand, held a thoughtful look for a moment, before looking squarely into Levy's eyes. It had an effect like no other.

It was strange. Levy loved books. She had read more books than anyone could ever count. The books she's read could fill libraries - _no_ - entire archives! But the expression on Lucy's face alone told more than those countless volumes of books ever could.

Her long blond hair was currently unkempt, as if she hadn't tended to it for days, wholly unnatural for someone who valued her looks more than a Zeref follower worshipped their dark god. She gave Levy a smile, but it wasn't like any of her usual ones, the ones that could rival the brightness of the sun. This one was empty, devoid of light, full of melancholy, full of sadness. Auburn eyes, warm and beautiful, seemed to hold the experience and travesties that a grizzled war veteran might have... if they lived a thousand years.

Levy was forced to take a step back. She could scarcely believe she was looking at the same Lucy that she had talked to and laughed with just a few days before. This was Lucy? Why hadn't Levy ever seen this side of her before? Had Lucy been hiding her true self all along? Or did she somehow change in the span of a few days? Levy thought back to the title of that red book that got her into this mess in the first place. 'The Lies of Lucy Heartfilia.' Levy's eyes widened. Was this what that title meant? Had Lucy been lying to the guild, to her friends all this time? If so, why? To what purpose? To what ends?

"What happened to me? Why Levy, that's what I what I've been wanting to tell you all along, if you'll listen."

- x -

_"There are things I need from you while I tell my story, Levy, important things."_

_"First and foremost, I need you to listen. Everything I'm going to tell you is the truth. My real story. The one that only Naruto and I know... and now you'll knowl as well. I know you'll be tempted to call me out on lies and exaggerations, but I promise you that my story will have none. Everything I say is to be taken at face value. My travels. My experiences. My accomplishments. Love, loss, trust... betrayal, and... well, you probably won't believe me, but I've even killed people. Just try not to judge me until the story is finished. This, I ask of you as a friend."_

_"Second, I'm going to need to borrow your powers for a bit, Levy. Remember that red book? Yes, the one sitting on my desk right now; the one that got you here. Well, you see, that tome is a special product of lost magic, similar to the Celestial Grimoire that I took from the vaults underneath Fairy Tail. It will record your Solid Script magic within it's pages and manipulate it, creating a story that, when read, will allow a person to experience the story as if they were me. I realize that this may take up a lot of your magic power, but don't worry. Both Naruto and I will transfer our magic power to you when you need it."_

_"Finally, I'm not entirely certain on this point, but my story will take at least four days to tell from start to finish. We'll have breaks in-between, of course. We'll eat and sleep. They'll be four normal days for us, if you can call something like this 'normal'. But I want you to realize that time works very differently here in the Celestial Spirit Realm. When those four days are up, an entire year will have already passed on Earthland."_

_"I know this is a lot to ask of you so I'll give you one final chance to back away. To forget all of this. I can send you back to Earthland and we can go our seperate ways for good. Just know that should you do decide to leave, the next time we meet, we will be enemies and I will not hesitate to... well, let's just leave it at that for now. I don't really want to say it."_

_"Sorry for putting such a huge burden on you, Levy. But the truth is that you're the only person that can help me right now."_

- x -

Levy paced back and forth inside Lucy's bedroom, thinking over everything that Lucy had just told her. For now, both Lucy and Naruto had left the room to give Levy some time alone to think, but for some reason this just made her more nervous.

"A whole year..." thought Levy aloud. Well technically, it was only four days for her. Less than a week. But still, what would the rest of Fairy Tail think if she went missing for an entire year? Would they believe she was dead? "Nah..." She remembered when everyone thought Lisanna had died and that turned out okay enough. So she wasn't too worried about being away for a year. Heck, some say that a little time and distance can make hearts grow fonder. Maybe when she got back, Gajeel would finally...

Anyways, what really made Levy nervous was the reason behind all of this. Why did Lucy want to do this in the first place? Lucy said it was to create a book that would let people experience everything that she went through. But what would that accomplish? Questions, questions, so many questions. What Levy wanted were answers. And the only way to get those answers was to hear Lucy's full story.

"The Lies of Lucy Heartfilia, huh?" Levy's eyes went back to the red book on Lucy's desk and noticed that beside it was the Celestial Grimoire that Lucy had stolen from Fairy Tail's magical vault. Levy had read about it before because it sounded interesting, but most of what she read was nonsensical ramblings from crazy old wizards. The only facts she garnered was that the Grimoire was found by Makarov some time in the year X777 and that it held the secrets of some dark and powerful lost magic within it's pages. Some even said that it was evil.

Actually, now that she thought about it, Levy remembered asking Master Makarov about the Grimoire once upon a time. _'Levy,'_ he had told her with a dark and serious expression. _'No such book exists.'_ That was it. And with such a scary expression on the Master's face, Levy didnt' dare to pursue the subject any further.

But now that the book was right in front of her...

Levy approached the desk, tracing the lines of the Celestial Grimoire with a finger in anticipation. She had a thing for books and this one was like no other. The cover was dark and mysterious; the color of the sea. Letters, glittering like jewels across the top half of the book, made up a single word: 'Céleste'. It felt strange and powerful, sort of like a magnet, pulling her in. No, more like some kind of black hole, sucking in her very soul. She was afraid. She was intrigued. And before she knew it, her fingers unconsciously began to open the cover of the book...

All of a sudden the door to the room clicked open. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," said Lucy in an easy manner.

Levy snapped back to attention, shaking her head clear as if it were filled with cobwebs. "Eh? That's odd. It..."

"Felt like you were hypnotized; like it was drawing you in, right?" Lucy finished for her. "I know the feeling. I still get it, even after reading it a few times."

"Really?" Levy stared back down at the Grimoire. It was weird. It felt like... lust? For a book? It was hard to explain but even now it came and went like waves. "Is there really some kind of dangerous dark magic in it? Is it really evil?"

Lucy had to practically pry the Grimoire from Levy's hands before she set it back down onto the desk. "That is something you're not quite ready to know. Not yet, at least." Levy didn't need to hide her disappointment. "Don't worry, you'll get your chance soon enough."

'What was _that_ supposed to mean?' thought Levy, but she kept it to herself.

Before long, Naruto bounded back into the room. "Shrooo, arrhm mwree shhtaarrrrching jret?" he said... or asked... Levy couldn't tell. His mouth was full as he retook his spot on the bed with a bowl full of snacks tucked at his arm.

"We are," said Lucy, motioning for Levy to sit down at the desk. "Have a seat, Levy."

"Wait a minute," opposed Levy. "I haven't even agreed to this yet."

Lucy paused for a bit, "Oh really," she said. Lucy's eyes, again looked into Levy's, deep and penetrating. It was like Lucy was reading her mind. "Sorry, Levy, but I can tell that you want to hear this story as much as I want to tell it."

Levy's mouth gaped open to argue back, but she stopped herself. She knew deep down that Lucy was absolutely right. That Levy wouldn't miss this story for the world.

- x -

Levy fidgeted in her seat at the desk for a bit, fighting to find a comfortable position. When she found it, she also found herself staring at the red book which was now open to the first page, right in front of her. The page was blank, plain and white.

"So... is there anything I need to do?"

"Nothing special," answered Lucy. She sat on her bed, leaning slightly on Naruto's shoulder, as he munched on his snacks, waiting for the story to start. "Just sit and listen. You might feel a slight tingling sensation, but that's normal. When it feels like you're starting to run low on magic power, just let us know and we'll give you some of ours." Lucy let the words sink in for a bit. "I'll start as soon as you're ready, Levy."

Levy was still unsure, but she swallowed back her nervousness and nodded. "I'm ready. Let's hear it."

"Okay then," said Lucy as she took a deep breath.

The room fell completely silent for a moment. It wasn't a very long moment but it felt long, as if time, itself, had stopped. Even Naruto had stopped munching on his snacks. This silence lasted for what seemed like eternity to Levy before, finally, it began. It was slow at first, hesitant. It was a voice, of course. Lucy's voice. Sweet and melodic, it filled the entire room, reverberating through the still air, and carrying with it a chilling feeling of hope and courage... and of pain... of longing.

Levy immediately felt a pull from within her as Lucy spoke. She could feel a bit of her magic power being siphoned out involuntarily. Then, as soon as her magic power left her body, she could see it visibly forming tiny little letters and words in Solid Script magic right in front of her before they were pulled swiftly onto the pages of the book. The entire process happened faster than Lucy spoke. Levy found it interesting. Amazing, even. And when she looked down, she saw that Lucy's words were now written in glowing yellow letters within the book.

Lucy gave the blunette a worried look, seeing at how surprised she was, but Levy returned a placating gesture. "Don't worry about me," she said. "I'm fine. Please, keep going."

Lucy nodded slowly and then she continued as Levy read the very first words written into the book:

'My name is Lucy Heartfilia, and this is my story.'


	4. CH3: The Summoning

**A/N:** From here on out, this story will be told from Lucy's perspective and in first person.

* * *

><p><strong>Where to Begin<strong>

Once upon a time? Is that how these stories usually start? I guess my story isn't the usual then, because it definitely doesn't start once upon a time. It wasn't even that long ago, in fact.

It all began when I found out about the Celestial Grimoire. It was filled with exactly the type of magic that I was searching for. The kind of power that I could use to change the world. The power that could help me protect everyone. The power to bring back the fragments of the past that I had lost.

Wait... maybe I should go back a bit further, to when I first joined Fairy Tail. It was an exciting time for me. I had just begun a new life; a new adventure. I was making incredible friends that could wield extraordinary magic. For the first time, I was independant, making a living for myself. I had my own apartment on Strawberry Street. I was happy. I had it all.

No, I'm sorry, that's wrong. I didn't have it all back then. I was missing something very important. And if this story is going to be complete, I'll need to go back even further, to the event that drove me to Fairy Tail in the first place. It still gives me nightmares sometimes. All the fire and destruction lighting up what would have been a starry and beautiful night. In a way, they were the ones that started it all. Those dragon slayers. Tch, I hate them all so much.

Then again, before even that event, there is one thing I'd like to share. Or rather, one person. He had golden hair, spiky and untameable even with the secret arts of beauty my mother had passed down to me. His eyes were as bright as the sky, and nearly the same color during a clear summer day. He was stubborn, loud, naive, thickheaded, tactless. He had a horrible taste in clothes, a monstrous appetite for ramen, and a disturbing obsession with the color orange. But even still... if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be the same person I am today.

Yes, let me begin there, back when everything was normal. Back when I truly did have it all. Back when I first met him.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3 - The Summoning<strong>

It was October 10th, X777. I was ten years old. I remember that day because it was one of the most exciting times of my life. It was to be the day of my very first Celestial Spirit summoning lesson, courtesy of my mother.

But before that, let me reintroduce myself. My name is Lucy. It means 'light'. I found out, later on, that the name came from a broken 'Love & Lucky' sign. To some, naming me after a broken sign might have seemed like an inappropriate or spontaneous thing to do, but I don't think so. Both of my parents had spent years at that guild. It was where they met and fell and love. So I'm sure they both had a lot of cherished memories and wonderful feelings regarding that guild, memories and feelings that were eventually passed on to me when I was born. At least, thats what I'd like to think.

At heart, I'm also a Heartfilia. The name held a lot of weight in Fiore back then, becoming almost synonymous with wealth and power. The land we lived on was vast, almost like a large town in and of itself. We had an extravagant mansion and many servants at our beck and call. So needless to say, being the only child of the Heartfilia's, my life was more pampered and privileged than any other family I could think of.

Speaking of family, my mother was who I wanted to grow up to be. She was a powerful mage, beautiful-dazzling, really, with a heart of pure gold. My father's heart, on the other hand, seemed to always be yearning for gold and riches. He was a businessman down to his very bones. He was the type of person who could sacrifice anything in pursuit of greater wealth.

Save perhaps us, his wife and daughter. He loved us, my mother and I. One pouty face from me (often times fake) or an angry scowl from my mother and he would stop in his tracks. Sometimes I even got treats or surprise toys! Mother always got hugs and kisses. Either way, we were the only two people in the world with any kind of power over him.

You could say that my childhood was ideal. I had two wonderful and loving parents. I had my very own personal tutors and maids. I could ask for anything I could think of and it would be mine. I had absolutely everything a ten-year old girl could possibly want.

But it wasn't enough. I still wanted more. I wanted to be a mage. Hmm, maybe that was what started it all. My obsession to become a mage. I wonder...

- x -

"Here, Lucy," said my mother. Her regal pink gown swished back and forth as she moved to the seat where I was sitting and placed a box into my outstretched hands. "Take it. It's yours."

I looked down at the small silver lockbox in my slightly sweat-slicked hands. It felt somewhat heavy for it's size and I could feel smooth engravings as I ran my fingers over the lid. My face flushed with pure excitement and anticipation. I had been waiting for this moment for so long. Three years, to this day, in fact. Mother said I had to learn basic magic first before she would teach me summoning. So for three years I had studied the basics of magic and magic power from both my mother and Grandpa Belo, my assigned magic tutor.

But now, I would finally get my first Celestial Spirit key and I couldn't wait. I looked back up at my mother nervously, still unsure if this was some kind of dream. I kept thinking that maybe I might suddenly wake up if I opened the box. But she smiled at me, loving and radiant, melting away all of my concerns.

"Well?" she laughed, easily. "Are you just going to stare at me? Or are you going to open the box?"

Slightly embarrassed, I turned my attention back to the silver lockbox. The clasp made a satisfying clinking sound when I found and released it. And it opened up as easily as I thought it would.

While barely holding back my unbridled energy, I took a look inside and found my prize, yet my heart suddenly became filled with a chilling feeling of... disappointment?

"Mama, what's this?" I asked. I carefully hung the key up delicately between my index finger and my thumb as if it were a dirty piece of garbage. Because that was exactly what it looked like. The key was slightly bent and covered in gross looking orange rust. The parts that weren't rusted were black and rough, like someone had tried to burn it but didn't bother to finish the job.

"Why Lucy, that's going to be the key to your first Celestial Spirit Summon," answered my mother.

I was outraged. My mother's summons always came from silver or gold keys. I could even live with bronze since I understood somewhat that I was a beginner. I couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of horrid and useless being would come out of this black and rusty key. I dropped the disgusting key back into the box. "Mama, can't I have a different key instead?"

"Lucy!" she admonished. I watched her eyes narrow slightly.

I knew I was treading dangerous territory but I pushed on anyways. If I argued, surely she would see that this dirty-looking key was not suited for a Heartfilia. So I huffed up as best as I could in the tight frilly dress I was wearing and pouted. It always worked on father. "But this one is dirty and ugly. I don't want to summon a monster!"

My mother went into full-on Layla Heartfilia mode. That is, she put her hands at her hip and gave me a firm pointed look, not exactly angry but not pleased either. This was the look that tended to get father and I into a panic every single time. "Is that so," she said in a tone that matched perfectly her expression. "Have you already forgotten the lesson I taught you last week, Miss Lucy Heartfilia?"

I couldn't look her in the eye. I hated when she called me that. It always meant I had a chance of getting in trouble. So I quickly shook my head. It was a moment before I peeked up and saw that my mother's expression had softened.

"Now, now, no need to mope," she said as she gathered me in for a quick hug. "Remember, the key itself just opens the door to the other world. The quality of the summon itself... now that depends on you."

I nodded in her arms. "I remember."

"Besides, this one is special," she said with a confident smile across her face. "He was one of my most treasured friends for such a long time. But now that you're ready, Lucy, it's your turn. Now, why don't you pick up your new key and see if we can't get your first Spirit Contract signed, shall we?"

I took out the black and rusty key, grimacing slightly at how dirty-looking it was. But this time, I gripped it like I would any other key I was prepared to unlock something with.

"Do you remember what you need to do?" asked my mother. It was rhetorical, of course. I had spent so much time with both Mother and Grandpa Belo, going over the steps to summon a spirit, that it came to me almost as easily as breathing did.

First, I poured my magic power into the key, forming channels of magical energy that would flow from me into the key and vice versa, thus making the key more or less an extension of my body. Almost immediately, the key became warm. No. That's wrong. It felt like the key was producing it's own heat that seeped into my fingers, snaking up my arm until eventually my entire body felt like it was radiating with heat and energy.

"Slowly now," my mother guided.

I continued to channel my power into the key, and eventually it started to happen. It sort of felt like forgotten doors within my mind were beginning to unlock themselves. Grandpa Belo said it might feel like suddenly gaining the knowledge of something new. But it wasn't like that at all. It was more like remembering the name of a long lost aquaintance. And words and names were exactly what I gained from those open doors in my mind.

"Now, raise the key, Lucy. And recite exactly, the words that are on your mind."

I could see it now. A keyhole the size of my head appeared right in front of me. I could even sort of see what was on the other side. A vast expanse of trees. Green. Beautiful. I raised the black key to be level with what I saw and my magic power fired from the key and into the hole. Then, before I realized what I was doing, the words poured forth from my lips.

"Open the gate to the village hidden in the leaves," I heard myself shout. "I summon thee, Shadow with the Will of Fire!"

Magical runes and glyphs circled the key hole, expanding it and making it brighter and brighter until I couldn't see anything but white. But as my eyes adjusted, I spotted an arm. Then a leg. Then a lot of orange.

Soon enough, he came into full view. Blonde hair, short, spiky, and disheveled, was his most distinguishing feature. And that was saying something because all of his features were very distinguishing. He had three whisker marks lining each of his cheeks, completely unusual and giving him a bit of a feral look. What looked like a mostly bright-orange jump suit covered his body. It was horrendous.

I just stood there in shock for a bit, because he wasn't, at all, what I had expected. All of my mother's summons looked like they might belong to a completely different world. Aquarius was a mermaid. Cancer had crab legs growing out of his back. Capricorn had the head of a goat. But him, my summon, didn't look much different from a normal boy. Get rid of the whisker marks on his face and put him in some normal clothes and he looked like could fit right in with the rest of the world.

Still, my heart was practically beating out of my chest. He was my very first celestial spirit summon, something new and exciting for an aspiring summoner like me.

But, if I'm going to be completely honest, my excitement didn't completely stem from the fact that he was my first summon. Sure, that was a part of it, and the fact that he wasn't like any of my mother's summons was a part of it too. However, what really captivated me was the simple fact that he was a kid. Just. Like. Me.

I should explain. My parents, especially father, were extremely protective of me. I wasn't allowed to go to school in the traditional sense. Instead, I was home schooled by both of my parents and a few private tutors. Because of this, I would rarely, if ever, get the chance to be with other children. I wasn't even allowed to leave the mansion most of the time. And, to be frank, I didn't even really think much of it before now.

But the instant I saw the boy, something clicked. It felt like I had just found the missing piece to something I didn't even know was incomplete. I could finally have someone my age to play with, to share my deepest and darkest secrets with... not that I had any particularily deep or dark secrets back then. Add the fact that he was a summon, that I could make him appear and go away anytime I wanted, that I could charade him around as a brother if I wanted to because of his blonde hair, and it became clear that I didn't simply want this boy.

No. I needed him.

That's why when he gave me a strangely threatening look, I was intrigued rather than wary. And when he pulled out some sort of weapon, I wasn't scared at all. I became curious instead. I wondered what else my summon could do?

He jumped back away from us. "Who are you?" he asked, fingers tightening around a sharp-looking black weapon. His glare, full of suprise and confusion, was pointed at both my mother and I as he waited for an answer.

"Who are you?" I asked him back. I really meant to ask him what his name was but it didn't come out the way I wanted it to. In any case, he took a few more steps away from my mother and I, but he didn't answer.

Everyone in the room stood frozen for a moment, each of us waiting on the other, before this silence was finally broken by my mother.

"Oh my, who _are_ you?" she asked him. This I was genuinely suprised at. My mother had said that this summon was special to her. She said he was a friend. So how come she didn't know who he was?

"You first," he demanded.

My mother pulled me back a little. I didn't realize it but I had been unconsciously taking steps towards my new summon the entire time. For some reason I wanted to touch him, to see if he was real. "My name is Layla and this is my daughter Lucy. We - sorry - _she_ summoned you here."

"Summoned me?" He didn't exactly seem to understand this. "Wh-What are you talking about? Where is this place?"

"Why don't you give us your name first?" she said sweetly. "Since you already know ours."

He hesitated for a second, still seemingly ready to strike at my mother and I at a moments notice. But he eventually answered with, "Naruto."

I tossed the name into the depths of my mind. I played with it a little, scribbled it down, then seared it into my memory. This boy, my summon, the shadow with a will of fire, was named Naruto. One question down, a billion more to go.

"So you really aren't him..." my mother sighed and gave Naruto a hard look. "Tell me, Naruto. Do you know what happened to the person named Minato?"

"Minato?" there was spark of recognition in Naruto's eyes. "You mean, The Fourth? He's gone, lady. He died a long time ago."

My mother paled. "D-died?"

"Now tell me where I am," Naruto demanded again.

My mother's grip around me tightened. "Tell me how..." she said.

"Hey, wait a second-"

"Tell me how he died!" she said hotly. I'll be honest, I was a little scared at this point. My mother rarely ever raised her voice, even when she was angry. Her grip around my arm began to hurt. A lot. I had to let go a painful squeak before she let me go and gave me an apologetic look, as if remembering I was even there. "Please, Naruto... tell me."

Naruto looked troubled but something in my mother's tone convinced him to give in. "I'm sorry, I really don't know much... he died just after I was born. Old man Sarutobi said he died protecting the village from some kind of monster. He died a hero."

My mother held me in close. I could feel something wet dripping onto my head. "I see... that sounds... just like him..."

"Ah, but everyone loves him!" added Naruto. "He was a hero among heros. The best Hokage of them all. And someday, I'm going to be just like him! I'll become Hokage to protect the village just like he did!"

He sounded so sure of himself that even I felt caught up in his enthusiasm.

"Is that so... Hokage..." My mother smiled. "Thank you, Naruto. I'm sure you'll accomplish your dream someday, just like he did. Now..." she let me go of my shoulders and wiped away her tears. "Come, Naruto. Come Lucy. With Minato gone I believe there is some sorting out we need to do."


	5. CH4: The Ride to Acalypha

**A/N: **I know some of you want longer chapters. I'll make it happen after my midterms are over. For now, here's another shorty filler chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4 - The Ride to Acalypha<strong>

We all rode in the back of our family's high-speed magic-powered carriage as it rolled bumpily down the road, heading out the gates of the mansion and onwards to a nearby town and their magic shop. Mother sat beside me and across from us was Naruto who peered outside, seemingly amazed and confused by the sights all at once. He said that he couldn't recognize anything. He said the buildings looked weird, that the people dressed funny (the nerve!), and that somehow even the trees looked different from those from his world. It made me wonder how different his world could be.

I also wondered about _him._ I studied the whisker marks on his face, undecided on whether or not they were scars or birth marks or actual whiskers. I admired the determined look in his eyes and pondered how a boy so young could be a summon, or if maybe he was much older than he looked. Something like that wouldn't be out of place for a summon. Partway through my musing, he looked at me and caught me staring at him.

I couldn't help but blush a little. I'm not even sure why.

"So where is this place?" he asked, pointing out the window of the carriage.

"Our world, or rather _this_ world, is called Earth Land," said my mother with the patience and understanding of... well... a mother, "and all the land you see now is part of the Kingdom of Fiore."

"Fiore huh...?" he repeated the name as if he were trying to get a feel for it.

I couldn't hold back my boundless curiosity any longer. "Where are _you_ from?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "Fire Country. In my world, countries are named after elements. Not sure what a... Fiore... is. Anyways, I lived in a village called Konohagakure before I got here. Hey, how _did_ I get here anyways?"

"I summoned you," I said cheerily, "remember?"

"Oh yea... right," he said, scratching his head. "Wow, and I thought only animals could be summoned. Guess there's still stuff they didn't teach us at the Academy yet. So did you use some kind of special summoning scroll or something? Is that what brought me here?"

I laughed a little. Summoning from a scroll? That sounded silly. Everyone knows that you needed a special _key_ to unlock a door to another world. I figured it was be easier to show him. "Nope, I used _this_ to get you here!" I took out the black key from behind my dress and held it up for him to see. It now hung from a silver chain that my mother had given me. He stared at it for a bit.

"A _key_?"

"Mmhm!" I started explaining. "This key opens the door to your world."

"How?"

I thought about it for a second. "Well... with magic, duh," I said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Magic...? Really...? I see..." he said.

I raised an eyebrow at him, wondering if he actually understood. I figured he might. It was a simple enough thing to grasp.

But then, he started to laugh. And it sounded like the hysterical kind of laughter, too. "Ahaha... haha... ha... Ahahahahaha!"

I frowned. "Umm... what's so funny?"

"I think I get it now!" he said. "This is all just a dream, isn't it?"

That caught me a little off-guard. "What?"

"Hah! Of course this is a dream! Magic? Gimme a break. I knew I was studying too hard for the Genin exams. I must have fallen asleep or something. Man, maybe I should take it easy for a bit. This dream is so weird."

I scowled at him. "This is _not_ a dream." And what the heck was a Genin exam?

Then, Naruto stared at me, as if actually seeing me for the first time. "Hey, wow, I didn't notice before but you're pretty realistic for a dream girl. You don't even look blurry or anything." He started jabbing me in the shoulder with his finger. "You even feel real."

"Geez, I'm _not_ a dream-" I flared. "And stop poking me!"

"You too, lady," he said, looking towards my mother this time.

"Why thank you," my mother replied, all smiles. Wait a minute, how was that even a compliment? Why wasn't she saying anything? Why was she just quietly laughing to herself like this was all one big joke?

Then, for some reason, Naruto turned pale. "W-wait a sec!" Naruto said, suddenly jolting to his feet. "Oh no... OH NO!"

For some reason he was staring at me. "Wh-what is it?" I asked him warily.

"I think... before I dozed off, I was studying a new jutsu from the scroll I took from the Hokage's office."

"Huh?" Jutsu...? Hokage...? What the heck are those?

"If I don't wake up and show Mizuki-sensei the new technique I learned, I'm gonna fail for good. Crap, I don't want to repeat another year."

"Okay..." Who's Mizuki? What technique is he talking about? I didn't know what to say.

Naruto gripped my shoulders, staring me into the eyes. "Hurry, dream girl! You have to do something!"

I blushed. "D-do what?"

"Punch me. Or slap me. Or kick me or something," he said. "Just wake me up. Please!"

It's official, my summon had gone insane. "But... you're already awake!" I argued. He stared me in the eyes but I didn't budge. I'm not about to hit my own summon, even if he _was_ a little delusional.

"Tch, fine then, I see how it is," he said when it became clear to him that I refused to cooperate. "Guess I can't really expect much help from my own dream."

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he began hit _himself_! First a punch. Then a particularly painful looking pinch. Then a few mighty slaps across his own face. It was hard to watch and I was baffled on what I should do. "Why isn't it working?" he asked out of desperation. "C'mon, wake up, Naruto, _wake up!_" With a strange fervor, he peered outside again. "Huh, this thing is going pretty fast. Maybe if I get myself run over..." As if on cue, he opened the door to the carriage, forcing a strong current of wind to blast in.

I gasped and turned to my mother. "Mama! Do something!"

She smiled sweetly, hair and clothing blowing violently in the wind but otherwise unfazed. "But Lucy, he's _your_ summon. Remember our lesson from two weeks ago? He is your responsibility as you are his."

Eh? I forgot.

"So do your best, Lucy!" she cheered. "I know you'll make me proud."

Gah, I wanted to pull out my own hair in frustration. I turned back to Naruto who was already starting to climb outside of the speeding carriage.

I was beginning to think 'insane' wasn't strong enough of a word to describe him. But still, mother was right. He was my responsiblity now. I had to keep him safe if I didn't want him to die. And I didn't. He was my first summon. We didn't even write up our contract yet. There was no way I was going to let him go like _this._ So I jumped on him, grabbed hold around his waist, and pulled back, hard.

"Hey, what the heck are you doing?" he yelled, trying to free himself from my grasp, "Let go!"

He was strong. Much, much stronger than he looked. But I refused to give up. No way. "Are you stupid?" I yelled back at him. "You'll _die_ if you jump out at this speed." That was what I sincerely thought.

Suddenly, he stopped struggling. It surprised me.

"Huh, you might be right," he said.

Quickly, without any further resistance from him, I pulled him back in, shoved him back onto his seat and just barely managed to get the door to the speeding carriage closed again before collapsing to my hands and knees, exhausted. My mother applauded me. That was too close. I looked up at Naruto and apparently all I get back for saving his life was an understanding nod.

"Thanks dream girl, you saved me," he said.

Finally... wait, did he say '_dream girl'_ again? Was he was still in denial that he wasn't dreaming?

"I remember now. One of my old teachers once said that if I died in my dream, then I might die in real life too. That was scary, I almost made a huge mistake!"

I sighed. How was I supposed to get through to him? He was so dense.

"What to do... what to do..." he pondered. "I'll need something else to wake up now."

"Get a hold of yourself!" I got up and nearly screamed at him. "Just realize that this isn't a dream already, you idiot. Idiot! Idiot! _Idiot!_"

He completely ignored me! I couldn't believe it. I was his summoner - his _master_ - and he ignored me! I shot my evil death glare at him and he _still_ ignored me. He just continued to look around the rest of the carriage until his eyes, for some reason, landed at my mother.

"Ah! I know!" he exclaimed, "I should have thought of this in the first place..." Without any warning. Without a trace of remorse or regret. Without even a hint of shame. He reached both of his hands out and grabbed my mother's breasts.

I froze. I'm not sure what the exact expression on my face was but I'm sure it was a mix of shock, awe, anger, and fear. What would that even look like?

Maybe something like the expression my mother wore? She smiled oh-so-sweetly yet it was perhaps the most terrifying expression I had every seen on her yet, as if a demon was now wearing my mother's skin.

And yet he continued to fondle, continued to squeeze. "Wow, they're so soft," he said. "Is this what they feel like in real life too?" he asked. He was blushing, for god's sake.

"Lucy?" asked my demon-mother, still all smiles like it was plastered on her face. "Please turn away for just a second."

I complied. Sorry Naruto... I tried to protect you. I tried to save you. But you were just... so this is how it ends, huh?

A boyish blood-curdling scream filled the air shortly after.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Thank you for your continued support of this story. I'm trying to build things up to the big event I have planned for Lucy and Naruto so sorry if it seems like the story is going too slowly for your taste. Pacing has never been my strong point.


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